Dr Samantha Carter, Archaeologist
by angelofstargatesg-1
Summary: ALTERNATE REALITY! Major Carter vs. Dr. Carter! Bring on the jello. CHAPTER FOUR NOW UP!
1. First Impressions

So there I was, just sitting on my bed, thinking and cleaning, when all of a sudden, my muse smacked me in the head with this story! I said, "Thank you, my dearest muse!' and booted up my lap-top. : )  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Stargate or any of the characters or even the . . oops! Can't say that, 'cuz that would be giving away too much information!  
  
A/N: Get ready for some surprises. . .   
  
*~*~*  
  
*Dr. Samantha Carter, Archaeologist*  
  
The Air Force, who would've known? Sam thought to herself as she walked into General Hammond's office.  
  
"You called for me, sir?" She asked, hands at her sides, a smile on her face.  
  
"I did, Dr. I want you to meet the reason that you're here for."  
  
"What are you talking about?" she asked, a quizzical expression plastered on her face, "I thought I was here to translate materials for the Air Force?!"  
  
"You are, but that's not the entire reason. Please come with me," General Hammond led the way out of his office and he pressed a button on the wall, and slowly the blast doors opened up.   
  
Sam recoiled in shock, "What is that?"  
  
"That, Sam, is the Stargate," a voice from behind her said.  
  
"Daniel!" she said as she turned, running into the arms of her fiancé. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I work here, with you!" he laughed, pushing her long her back over her shoulder.  
  
Sam looked around confused, "Daniel, I'm just a civilian! How could I possibly have this kind of access?"  
  
"That's what I'm here to explain to you, Dr. Carter. You're to be part of SG-1, the first of all Stargate teams ever created. We need you because the last member of SG-1 recently died off world. She was their scientist," Hammond briefed her.  
  
"But I'm an ARCHAEOLOGIST, General, not a scientist! Sure I have a couple of advanced degrees in all the sciences, but what is that going to do?" she sarcastically replied.  
  
"Are you going to answer me or not, Dr.?" Hammond inquired.  
  
"Yes. I would love to be part of. . ." she waved her hand to the window, catching a glimpse of the Stargate out of the corner of her eye, "a part of this."   
  
Walking to where Daniel was, she wrapped an arm around his waist, smiling up at him.  
  
"So when are you going to give me the grand tour, Danny?"   
  
"I want you to meet my friends first, they're also going to be your new teammates," he kissed her hand and the exited together.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Teal'c, this is Dr. Samantha Carter. She's going to be our new team member. Sam, this is Teal'c," Daniel gestured to each individual as he spoke.  
  
Teal'c bowed in his traditional greeting of hello.  
  
"I am pleased to meet your acquaintance, Samantha Carter."  
  
"And I you, Teal'c. I'm guessing you're not from around here, are you?" she pointed to her forehead, indicating the golden emblem on his.  
  
"Indeed I am not, Samantha Carter."  
  
"Let's eat, shall we?" Daniel put his arm around his fiancée and he led her to a seat in the commissary. "What do you want to eat? We've got chicken, steak, cereal. . "  
  
"The jello's good. Recommend the jello to her, Daniel, come on!" a deep voice penetrated their conversation.  
  
When Sam turned she laid eyes on the most handsome man she had ever met. He was tall, and his muscles bulged through his black shirt. Though his hair was gray, his chocolate brown eyes sparkled filled with humor, matching his smile.  
  
Jack stopped in his tracks. The most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on was right in front of him. Her blond hair was swept over her shoulder, and her blue eyes seemed to go right to his soul. Her smile was infectious, and she radiated beauty and perfection.  
  
"Jack, I want you to meet my fiancée, Dr. Samantha Carter. She's going to be our new team member," Daniel beamed proudly, missing the glances that passed between her and Jack.  
  
"Hey. . Welcome to the team," Jack softly said, extending his hand.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Jack," she shook his hand, and her heart seemed to pound faster.  
  
Why does he make me feel like this, Sam thought. Why? I'm in love with Daniel, right?  
  
"Do you want some jello, Sam?" Daniel asked, waving a hand in front of her face.  
  
"Huh? Uh, sure. Yeah, thanks," she looked distracted. How could he possibly know how she was feeling right now?  
  
She tried not to look in Jack's direction, but she couldn't help herself. His heat radiated and warmed her with his presence.   
  
"So. . . Sam, you're an archaeologist like Danny-boy?" Jack weakly started a conversation as Daniel walked away to get the jello.  
  
"Yes, and I'm kind of also a scientist. I never thought that I would be working in the Air Force some day!" Sam laughed a laugh that sent shivers down Jack's spine.  
  
Does she know what she's doing to me? Jack thought.  
  
Does he know what he's doing to me, Sam thought.  
  
"What do you think of the Stargate? It's pretty intimidating, but you'll get used to it," Jack offered some more advice to Sam, and she paid close attention to what Jack had to say. There was something about him that just drew her in- she couldn't stop herself if she wanted to.  
  
Teal'c sat next to O'Neill, obviously very much out of the conversation. He watched the two together though, and observed how well they complemented each other. It was like they were halves of one person. Teal'c raised an eyebrow as Daniel headed back to their table- he wasn't going to like the fact that Jack was in love with his fiancé.  
  
*~*~*  
  
What did you think? Please review. This was just something that popped out of nowhere. Expect more soon! 


	2. Mirror, Mirror on the wall

The next chapter- nicely packaged, wrapped up with a bow and ready to go!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Stargate or the characters or even the alternate reality idea!!  
  
*~*~*  
  
Samantha Carter looked up as Jack O'Neill poked his head into her office.  
  
"Hey, Carter! Watcha doin'? Got any new toys for me to break- I mean, play with?" Jack tossed an careless and innocent smile her way, making her laugh.  
  
"Sorry, sir. No toys today. Though-"  
  
AUTHORIZED OFFWORLD GATE ACTIVATION!  
  
Jack grinned at Sam, "Guess we'll just have to continue this conversation later, won't we?"  
  
"Indeed, O'Neill." They both laughed and jogged to the Gate Room.  
  
~*~  
  
"Daniel and Sam! Come on, and stop staring at those hieroglyphics! We have to get moving, now!"  
  
"Jack-" Daniel began.  
  
"I'll take care of this, Daniel, you just finish translating," barking her order to Daniel over her shoulder, she then turned her sights to the man she truly loved. "Jack, please. These hieroglyphics could hold the key to a great discovery!"  
  
Jack crossed his arms. "I'm listening."  
  
"Daniel and I believe that another Stargate or another transport device could be behind this wall!"  
  
"All I'm seeing is a great expanse-" Jack was cut off by the rising of the wall of stone he had just been leaning.  
  
"Just like we said, sweetheart!" Daniel kissed his soon-to-be-wife's nose and hurried her into the side of the ziggurat.   
  
Sam looked back at Jack sadly, "Aren't you and Teal'c coming inside with us?"  
  
"I will indeed accompany you, Samantha Carter," Teal'c responded, falling instep behind Daniel.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Jack blandly said, rewarded with a bedazzling smile from Sam.  
  
The chamber that they walked into was cold, dark and clammy. The room was empty except for a single piece of black glass in the center of the room. A pedestal was next to the glass, and on the pedestal was some kind of hand-device.  
  
"What is it?" Sam asked as she neared it with Daniel, stretching out her hand to touch the serene glass.  
  
"Be careful!" Jack impulsively warned her, watching her jerk back her hand just as he said it.   
  
"The hieroglyphics on the outside of the ziggurat said that this was supposed to be a transportation device," Daniel said softy, picking up the hand-device. "I wonder what this is for?" He turned the knob on the device and the black glass changed to a scene of the inside of a temple.  
  
Sam jumped back from the mirror and Jack instinctively put an arm around her and raised his gun. They sprung apart just before Daniel turned around.  
  
"We were right, Sam! This is a transportation device!"  
  
"Where does it go, Daniel?"  
  
"I don't know. I want to try it out," Daniel looked to Jack, and Sam followed suit. Jack looked into her eyes and sighed.  
  
"We can try it out. How about the place that is already on there?"  
  
"I do not think that would be a good idea, O'Neill. That is the inside of the temple of Aphosis," Teal'c spoke up.  
  
"I knew that," Jack quickly covered up his mistake. "Daniel, give the device to Sam. Let her pick the place we go to."  
  
Daniel nodded and handed the device to Sam. She stepped cautiously to the mirror, closed her eyes, and turned the dial seven times. Upon opening her eyes, she gasped.  
  
There on the other side of the mirror was an exact replica of her office!  
  
She dropped the device, and touched the glass. Instantly she was transported to the other side, looking back at Jack and the rest of the men.  
  
Daniel hurriedly picked up the device and instructed the others to touch the glass at the same time as he. They were also transported to the other side of the glass, looking back at the place they had just been in with astonished faces.  
  
~*~  
  
"What is it, sir?" Jack asked of General Hammond when he and Sam finally reached the control room in front of the Gate Room.  
  
"I think you better go see for yourselves," he indicated to where an SG team had recently disembarked. They had with the a large, wrapped package.  
  
Sam and Jack walked into the Gate area, staring at the package that was in front of them.  
  
"What is it lieutenant?" Sam asked the young woman next to her.  
  
"If you just give me a second, ma'am," the lieutenant turned away and untied the ropes that bound the wrappings to the object, revealing, once the wrappings fell, a beautiful piece of black glass, "We were hoping you could tell us, ma'am. We haven't been able to figure it out,yet."  
  
"It's an alternate reality mirror. We came across this before on one of our earlier missions- I thought it was in storage?"  
  
"Apparently this is a different one, Carter! Did anything else come with the mirror? Like a small hand device or something along the lines of that?" Jack asked the woman.  
  
"Yes, sir," reaching into her bag she pulled out a hand device, and handed it to Sam.  
  
"Do you know what it does, ma'am?"  
  
"Yes, I do, lieutenant. Thank you for bringing it back with you. Sir?" Sam turned to look up at the General. "Could I have this taken to my lab for further study?"  
  
"I'm afraid not, Major. You still have the other alien object that you haven't finished looking at yet in your lab," the General answered.  
  
"Oh, yeah, right. Daniel?" She looked to her archaeologist friend, "Could I leave it in your office? In the corner or something? I'll try and get it out as soon as possible!"  
  
"Take your time, Sam," Daniel responded. "Of course you can leave it my office. Besides, I want to study that hand device. Last time we had one of those I only got to turn the dial and nothing more!"  
  
Sam laughed. "Thanks, Daniel. Sir, would you carry it to Daniel's office with me, please? Just be careful!" She yelled as Jack picked up the heavy piece of glass, only to slam it down onto a hand-truck.  
  
"No problem, Carter," Jack and Sam shared another one of their smiles as they strolled together out of the Gate Room.  
  
Teal'c and Daniel shared a knowing glance and followed their friends out.  
  
*~*~*  
  
So, what do you think so far? Crappy? Oh, well! I like it and am going to forge ahead! Check for more updates soon! 


	3. Who's the fairest of them all?

Here it is people! The third chapter! Don't care if nobody likes it because I'm going to keep on writing this story! Oh and the 5th chapter of "This Moment" is going to be posted really soon, so keep your eyes peeled!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Stargate or any of the characters or even the alternate reality theory. Pooh. Arghh! I don't even own "Pooh!" Damez-le tout!(Damn it all, F.Y.I)  
  
A/N: It's going to get REAL confusing later on, so for your understanding, here is a little key!  
  
A.R. Sam a.k.a Dr. Carter- Alternate Reality Dr. Samantha Carter  
  
A.R. Daniel- Alternate Reality Dr. Daniel Jackson  
  
A.R. Jack- Alternate Reality Colonel Jack O'Neill  
  
A.R. Teal'c- Alternate Reality Teal'c  
  
All the rest of the characters have their regular names. 'Counterparts' refers to the A.R.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Sam watched as Jack loaded the alternate reality mirror into Daniel's office. Daniel had even cleared a little area for her to work. She thought it was very sweet of him, but hoped that he didn't get any ideas.  
  
"Thanks, sir," Sam smiled at Jack, and walked to the mirror. She touched the cold glass, and shivered.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong?" Jack put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it slightly.  
  
"Nothing," she responded, though she was thinking about the last time that they met others from another reality.   
  
"If you says so, Carter. Do you need any help with anything?" Jack looked around at Daniel's office. "Like a garbage bag?"  
  
Sam laughed. "No, sir. Thank you anyway. I can take it from here."  
  
"Okay, but I'll be back."  
  
"Is that a threat, sir?"  
  
"No, Carter," he said looking into her eyes. "It's a promise."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Sam had been up all night studying the mirror, trying to figure out what it was made. She'd given up around midnight and had fallen asleep on her bed in her SGC quarters. It felt like she'd only been asleep for two minutes when she heard the warning bell that meant breeched security.  
  
Bolting out of bed, she rushed to the control room to find out if it was a problem with the Gate. Seeing that it wasn't, she hurried back to her room and accessed the SGC security floor plan from her computer.   
  
Sam froze.  
  
Pushing back her chair, she dialed Jack's number, which she knew by heart.  
  
"Jack, you need to get down here, and fast. Someone's come through the mirror."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Dr. Carter looked around the room, taking note of her surroundings. Daniel looked though the books on the shelf, while Jack and Teal'c stood as security.  
  
"I can't believe it."  
  
"Believe what, Sam?" Daniel asked, his nose delved in one of the real Daniel's books.  
  
"This isn't my office."  
  
"What?" Jack turned on her. "I thought. . ."  
  
"I know, so did I, but this isn't my office."  
  
"How can you tell, Samantha Carter?" Teal'c asked.  
  
"It's a woman's intuition. Plus, this room is VERY disorganized. You all know that I am one of the most organized archaeologists in the world," Sam smiled at Jack, her smile fading, however, when she noticed his grim expression.  
  
"Well, if we're not at the SGC in your office, where are we?"  
  
Just then the warning bell that meant breeched security rang out. Dr. Carter cringed, taking cover near Jack, to Daniel's surprise.   
  
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" Jack yelled, waving his gun at empty air, anticipating the cavalry to arrive at any moment.  
  
"I am not sure, O'Neill, but I do believe that they could tell us," Teal'c pointed to the people who had just stepped into the office.  
  
"Who are you?" A middle-height blond woman who looked a lot like Dr. Carter stepped forward.  
  
"Colonel Jack O'Neill, United States Air Force, ma'am. And you are?"   
  
"Major Samantha Carter, and you are NOT Colonel Jack O'Neill, because he is right behind me," Sam waved Jack forward, an amused expression on his face.  
  
A.R. Sam gasped and stepped back. She looked back and forth between A.R. Jack and Jack and Sam, finally figuring out what happened.  
  
"Sam, what is it?" A.R. Daniel asked Dr. Carter.  
  
"Daniel, sweetheart, we're in an alternate reality."  
  
"WE'RE IN A WHAT?!?!" A.R. Jack turned on Dr. Carter. "YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT ALTERNATE REALITIES BEFORE!!"  
  
"Hey, Jack! Don't yell at my fiancée!" A.R. Daniel tried to look intimidating.  
  
"Your what?" Sam and Jack yelled at the same time.  
  
A.R. Daniel and A.R. Jack ignored the two and continued in their war for Dr. Carter until. . . . .   
  
"SG-1, you better have a damn good excuse for this one!" General Hammond's voice penetrated through everyone's conversation, causing all the people in the room to stand at attention.  
  
"Well, you see, sir. . . "  
  
"I believe, General Hammond, that the blame would lie with Major Carter. . . "  
  
"It's all Sam's fault, General. . . "  
  
"Carter brought people from another reality here again!!!"  
  
"Major!!!"  
  
"Yes, sir?"  
  
General Hammond looked up and surveyed the room full of people, and sighed.  
  
"Debriefing. ALL of you."  
  
He left the room abruptly, leaving SG-1 and their counterparts alone to stare at each other.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Okay. Let's run through this one more time."  
  
A universal groan was heard, but a glare from General Hammond shut everyone in the room up. All the counterparts were on one side of the table, SG-1 on the other.  
  
"I am Dr. Samantha Carter, Archaeologist."  
  
A laugh came from across the table. "What's so funny about that, Major?" A.R. Sam said tauntingly.  
  
"The whole thing! ME! An archaeologist like Daniel! PAHLEASE! Tell me you at least DABBLE in the sciences!" Sam held her stomach which hurt from her laughing.  
  
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" A.R. Daniel and Daniel said at the same time. They looked at each other and pointed fingers.  
  
"I'M DANIEL!" They said AGAIN at the same time.   
  
While Sam, her counterpart, Daniel, and his counterpart argued about science and who was the real Daniel, the Teal'cs were engaged in a staring contest at who could stare the meanest and the Jacks were swapping stories of how they met their Sams. General Hammond shook his head, stood up, and walked out of the room. His absence went unnoticed.  
  
"Well," Jack leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, "I met Sa- I mean, Major Carter a couple years back. She was so raw it wasn't funny. Actually, it was funny to me, but most people don't have my sense of humor. . . "  
  
"So. . You have to call her Major Carter all the time? You can't ever call her Sam?" A.R. Jack asked him. He looked down to where Dr. Carter sat and smiled at her attempts to argue with the Major about quantum physics or something else. He wasn't exactly sure because they were using A LOT of big, fancy scientific terms.  
  
"Nah. . .I don't call her Major all the time- that's only when I get mad at her. Usually I call her Carter. But sometimes, if you know what I mean by sometimes, I call her Sam. You're pretty lucky, though. At least you can be with Dr. Carter without running the risk of being court marshaled!" Jack sighed, running his hands through his thinning hair.  
  
"Are you kidding me?I can't be with her! She belongs to Daniel. . . but I still love her!" A.R. Jack put his head in hands. "You know, that's the first time I've actually admitted that I love her."  
  
"I know the feeling. . ." Jack smiled knowingly.  
  
"Hey . . Where's General Hammond?"   
  
All those present in the room finally realized that he had left long ago.  
  
Both Daniels looked at their watches and declared the time.  
  
"It's late."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Yeah, Carter?" He looked down at her end of the table.  
  
"Where are the others going to stay?"  
  
"Oh. . . I forgot about that."  
  
"That's why you have me, sir."  
  
"Yes, that I do. And what would I do without you, Carter?"  
  
"Probably fish, sir."  
  
"Hey, guys? Yeah, remember me? Daniel? Yeah. We're still here and we still have a problem on our hands," Daniel waved his hands in the air, waking Jack and Sam from their little "happy world."  
  
"O'Neill."  
  
"T."  
  
"Could they not stay on the base?" Teal'c raised an eyebrow as his counterpart did the same.  
  
"Indeed they could, T. But do we have any extra rooms beside isolation?" Jack looked to Daniel and Sam.  
  
They both shook their heads.  
  
"Umm, sir? I think that each of us is going to have to take one of them home."  
  
"OH NO!" Dr. Carter shouted. "I AM NOT GOING HOME WITH YOU!!"  
  
"YOU HAVE NO CHOICE, MISS I THINK I AM AN ARCHAEOLOGIST!!!!" Sam shouted back.  
  
"WHAT IF I REFUSE TO GO?" A.R. Sam challenged, rising from her seat.  
  
"THEN I'LL ZAT YA! SEE WHAT HAPPENS THEN!!!" Sam stood to meet her face to face.  
  
"Sam! Come on!" Daniel rose to pull her back.  
  
"Honey, please. . " A.R. Daniel moved grab Dr. Carter's hand.  
  
"This looks bad, O'Neill," the Teal'cs said at the same time.  
  
"You're telling me!" Jack jumped from his seat and pinned Sam's arms behind her before she could mutilate Dr. Carter. Which, with her level of hand to hand combat, she could easily do.  
  
A.R. Jack followed suit, pushing A.R. Daniel out of the way, grabbing Dr. Carter around the waist and pulling her close.   
  
"Okay, Daniels. Think of something fast. It's obvious that Sam can't take Dr. Carter home with her. . . What are we going to do?" Jack gave a stern look to Sam who struggled in his hold.  
  
"Umm. . . " Both Daniels scratched their heads furiously.   
  
"Send them home?" was what Daniel came up with at last.  
  
"It is a very time consuming process finding the correct reality, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c replied.  
  
"We have to stay here tonight, then, don't we?" A.R. Jack looked to Jack.  
  
Sam turned in Jack's arms.   
  
"Sir, they can't stay here long. Time distortion and all those fancy science terms that you don't want me to use will happen! Remember what occurred with Dr. Carter from the OTHER alternate reality?"   
  
"Yeah. . . First thing in the morning we get them back. Until then, where do they stay?" Jack looked around the room.   
  
The two Daniels had been conversing in a corner away from the rest of the group.  
  
"We've got an idea."  
  
*~*~*  
  
MUWHAHA! I cut it off there because I want to have another chapter and give you a reason to continue reading! REVIEW!! Suspense. . . 


	4. It's going to be a long night

Well, I know that I haven't written in a long time, but here I am! Chapter four all ready and rearing to go.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Stargate, or the characters, or even the alternate realities, or the space time continuum theories or . . . I only own the plot. Thank God that I own SOMETHING!  
  
SPOILERS: Slight Third Season, "Seth"  
  
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Cathain, 'cuz it was her initial idea that started this chapter. Thanks for all your help Cathain, I couldn't have done it with out ya! Love you!  
  
A/N: Check the last chapter for more information if you don't understand the character names. I'm still using the same ones! Except for Marshal being A.R. Teal'c, that is.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"I cannot believe this is happening to me," Dr. Carter mumbled underneath her breath as she slouched down in the seat.  
  
"What was that, Dr.?" Jack asked.  
  
She sat rigidly up, replying, "Umm. . . I was just saying what a nice neighborhood you have."  
  
Jack looked at her strangely, suspicions that he had never felt before rising up in him.  
  
"Thanks. . . I guess."  
  
An uneasy silence pervaded the truck.  
  
"So. . . " Jack began, "You're an archaeologist?"  
  
"Yup." A.R. Sam nodded. "You're a colonel?"  
  
"Yup." Jack looked to the road for the turnoff to his house.  
  
This is going to be a long night, they both thought.  
  
The truck-ride to Jack's house hadn't been full of conversation, but Jack felt that something needed to be done to break the ice. Before getting out of the truck in his driveway, Jack turned to a very bored Dr. Carter.  
  
"Look, I know that this is going to be hard for you to. . . well, sleep here tonight, so I propose before we hit the sack, how about some dinner?"  
  
Dr. Carter perked up, her interest suddenly sparked by the word food. None had she had since her breakfast that morning at the SGC back home.   
  
"Dinner sounds wonderful! Where are we going to go?"  
  
Jack put the car in reverse, placing his arm on the back of Dr. Carter's seat as he turned to look out the back window, "I know this fabulous place that serves the best steak this side of Colorado. . ."  
  
*~*  
  
It's going to be a long night, Sam thought.  
  
All A.R. Jack had been talking about the entire time was Dr. Carter that, A.R. Sam this. Her looks, her talent as an archaeologist, her scientific genius that she also possessed . . . he wouldn't shut up!  
  
"Jack!" Sam pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned forcefully in her seat to face her mentally-stressing passenger. Her breath came out in short rasps, the pent up anger from her and Dr. Carter's unfinished battle earlier beginning to radiate from her.  
  
A.R. Jack gave a patented Jack O'Neill what-did-I-do-now look that made Sam laugh out loud, all her stress seeming to melt away.  
  
"I'm guessing that you're tired of hearing me talk about Dr. Carter?"   
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"It's okay," Sam pulled out into the road, continuing the journey to her house, "Let's just get one thing straight. I do NOT want to hear another word about Dr. Carter!!"  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" A.R. Jack gave a mock solute, making Carter laugh again.   
  
"You know, you're really funny. How can you love Dr. Carter?"  
  
A.R. Jack looked over at her, catching her passing glance.   
  
"You're right, I DON'T want to know."  
  
"I think I'm going to like spending time with you; you're easy-going," A.R. Jack opened the car door as they stopped in front of Sam's home.  
  
"Hey," Sam leaned on the roof of the car, "You wanna have some fun while you're here?"  
  
"What'd you have in mind?" A.R. Jack jumped back in the car.  
  
"Well, I know this great place that you can get a good steak and a rack of pool at the same time. . ."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Teal'cs, would you guys STOP staring at each other?" Daniel threw up his hands exasperatingly. The last hour of silent staring had finally gotten underneath his skin.  
  
"Yeah, come on you guys! How long can one Jaffa stare at another? That's a rhetorical question and requires NO answer," A.R. Daniel pushed Daniel's point. He too wanted to the staring to stop.  
  
"I am sorry, Daniel Jacksons. I did not know that it caused you such agony," Teal'c said sarcastically, a surprising trait in the normally stoic Jaffa, turning to A.R. Teal'c to give him a gesture that looked A LOT a wink.  
  
"Well, we're tired of hanging out here at the base, so Daniel and I are going to dinner. If you guys want to come. . . " Daniel was cut off by Teal'c's upraised hand.  
  
"That is all right, Daniel Jackson. Teal'c and I will be fine by ourselves here in the base. The food in the commissary is not as bad as you of the Tau'ri make it out to be," Teal'c waved his hand in such a way that apparently meant dismissed.  
  
The Daniels looked at each other, shrugging, but heading to the elevators.   
  
"Catch you tomorrow, Teal'c!" Daniel said to his friend.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow as well, Teal'c. I'm going back to Daniel's apartment with him after dinner," A.R. Daniel tossed over his shoulder as the door closed behind them.  
  
Teal'c looked to A.R. Teal'c. "Shall we go to the commissary, then?"  
  
A.R. Teal'c was silent, but he then replied, "Are we allowed off base?"  
  
"Yes, but not under our regular names. I normally go under the name Murray. We must also wear head coverings to cover our symbols. Why do you ask, my friend?"  
  
"I was listening to the Daniel Jacksons' conversation, and I heard that they were going to a restaurant where they serve a good steak. What is this steak?"  
  
"I believe that it would be a most excellent idea to try out," Teal'c bowed slightly to his friend, then led the way out of the debriefing room, turning the lights off as they left the room.  
  
*~*~*  
  
O'Malley's wasn't very crowded at 21:00, but it was enough to notice that there was a large group of twins in different areas of the restaurant.   
  
Sam and A.R. Jack were in the far corner playing pool, with Sam winning by a long shot. Dr. Carter and Jack were at the bar chatting about everything that could be talked about. Murray and 'Marshal' enjoyed their steaks at a nearby table, speaking of their pasts, reminiscing about experiences, occasionally throwing in a Jaffa joke that they knew. Daniel and A.R. Daniel, on the other side, chatted lightly of the Sams, past digs they had been on, cultures of other worlds they had experienced, the latest Unas communication tips, the list of things that they talked of went on, and on.  
  
None of them knew that the others were there.  
  
~  
  
Billiards didn't seem to be A.R. Jack's game, and he knew it.  
  
"8 ball in the corner pocket," Sam cheered as another perfectly executed shot went in. She turned around, her hands on her hips. "I believe you owe me another 20 bucks, Jack."   
  
"Instead of paying up the money," A.R. Jack's hand went up to stop her protests, "how about I treat you to a dinner of some of those steaks that you so infamously recommended to me?"  
  
"Sounds good!" taking the offered arm, as they strolled to an empty table.  
  
The waitress took their orders, and left them to their own devices. A.R. Jack played with a salt shaker, while Sam fiddled with her napkin.  
  
"You played a great game of pool over there," A.R. Jack said, pointing with his thumb to the pool table they had just vacated.  
  
"Thanks. It helps when you've taken highly math courses in addition to every science imaginable. You weren't so bad yourself," She smiled at A.R. Jack who returned her smile.   
  
"Do you do this kind of stuff with Colonel O'Neill?"  
  
Sam stiffened, apparently this question hit a soft spot in her heart. The reaction she gave was exactly the one he had been looking for. He'd promised Jack to find out how Sam really felt about him.  
  
"No. We can't. The regulations. . ."  
  
"Forbid it. I understand. Trust me, we have the same ones in our reality," A.R. Jack leaned back in his chair.   
  
"Why do they cause a problem for you? Dr. Carter's a citizen! Unless. . " Sam looked curiously at him.  
  
"No, it's not what you're thinking. I know Dr. Carter's a citizen, but that's not the problem for me. You see, there's this Doctor back at our base, who's in love with Daniel, except Daniel thinks that he's in love with Sam. . . "  
  
Sam reached out her hand to pat A.R. Jack's. She looked sadly into his eyes, understanding the pain of being in love with someone, but no being able to be with them  
  
~  
  
"I met Daniel on a dig at Giza. We were working on a pyramid that had no hieroglyphics in it, when. . ." Dr. Carter looked up from her drink into Jack's bored face, "My conversation's obviously not very stimulating, is it?"  
  
Jack's head snapped up, as if he had been in a trance.  
  
"No, it's not that. . It's just, all you've talked about since we got here is Daniel this and Daniel that. I'm beginning to wonder if you're trying to hide something from me. Are you?"   
  
Dr. Carter looked down into her drink, using the little stirrer to make a wave. She seemed very preoccupied in her thoughts, debating whether to tell Jack or not.   
  
"Earth to Dr. Carter. Earth paging Dr. Carter. Come in, Dr. Carter, do you read?"  
  
Dr. Carter laughed as she looked up into Jack's comical looking face.  
  
"Okay, okay! I was thinking about Jack," Dr. Carter began, "Now don't look so surprised because you knew there was something going on between us when Major Carter and I got in that big fight earlier today. He's all I think about anymore. I just don't know what to do!"  
  
She toyed the diamond engagement ring on her ring finger, her thoughts completely lost to Jack.  
  
"Hey," Dr. Carter's slightly tear-stained face looked up at him, "It's okay to love Jack. The only thing you have to take care of is Daniel."  
  
"But what if Jack doesn't love me? What if he only wants me as an object of conquest? What if. . . "  
  
Jack put a supportive arm around Dr. Carter, smiling inwardly since he had completed his half of the 'get-information-out-of-the-carters' deal.   
  
"I bet you're starving after all those drinks, and the heavy talking we did. How about we lighten up the mood with some steak, and maybe a piece of cheesecake after dinner? I don't know about you, but I ADORE cheesecake," Jack smiled down at Dr. Carter.  
  
"Beware Jack. Considering the mood I'm in right now, I might want FIVE pieces of cheesecake," Dr. Carter took the offered arm, and they walked to the dining area not far from the bar, taking seats on the opposite side of the pool table.  
  
~  
  
"Tell me something, Daniel," Daniel asked of his dinner mate across the table from him.  
  
A.R. Daniel looked up from the steak he was cutting furiously. "Sure, shoot." His attention then tuned back to his piece of dead cow that antagonized him.  
  
"Why are you with Dr. Carter?"  
  
The fork was half-way to A.R. Daniel's mouth when he stopped. "I love her. And she loves me."  
  
"Are you sure on that?"  
  
A.R. Daniel put his fork down. "What do you mean?"  
  
Daniel bunched his fingers together to form a pyramid, he studied them intently, unsure of how to begin.  
  
"Well. . . from what I see, she seems to be really interested in Jack. And you, well, you don't seem to care that much for her," Daniel looked up into the enraged face of his friend, "but. . .," he hurriedly tried to correct his mistake, "that's just from my point of view. I can't truly say how you or Dr. Carter feels since I barely know either of you.  
  
Daniel sat in thought for a few seconds.   
  
"That sounds REALLY ironic to me. Hey, Daniel? Are you okay?"  
  
A.R. Daniel leaned back in his chair, carefully chewing a piece of his steak. After a long pause, and a few swigs of beer, he finally spoke.  
  
"You're right."  
  
Daniel leaned so far back in his chair that it looked like it was going to fall over.  
  
"I am?!" He squeaked.  
  
"Yeah. I don't love her. I mean, I do love her, but just not the way that I should. You see, there's this Doctor back on base. . ."  
  
". . . that you've been in love with for some time, but you just don't know what to say to her. Trust me, I have the SAME problem," Daniel finished, laughing with his friend.  
  
"Hey, Sam's been teaching me how to play pool. You wanna see who's better?"  
  
"Are we going to bet?"  
  
"If you want."  
  
"Well, I'm in!"  
  
The two Daniels shook hands and walked over to the pool table.  
  
~  
  
Located near where two men were playing pool, a loud burst of laughter came from the Jaffas' table, an unusual occurrence in any reality.   
  
"Let me tell the next joke, my friend," Murray said to his dinner partner.  
  
Marshal inclined his head slightly, indicating that he should go ahead.  
  
"A Serpent guard, a Horus guard, and a Setesh guard meet on a neutral planet. It is a tense moment. The Serpent guard's eyes glow. The Horus guard's beak glistens. The Setesh guard's nose drips," Murray and Marshal burst out once again into laughter.   
  
Their sides hurt so much that they didn't even notice two men walk up to them.  
  
"Murray? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Daniel Jacksons! We wanted to get off the base and spend some time together before MARSHAL," Murray nodded his head in Marshal's direction, hoping Daniel would get the hint (he did), "has to go back home tomorrow."  
  
"Oh. Well, in that case. . ." A.R. Daniel looked to Marshal, "do you guys want to join us for a round of pool? We just finished our game."  
  
"Don't remind me!" Daniel groaned. He still couldn't get over the fact that he had lost to himself.  
  
Murray and Marshal looked at each other to confer.  
  
"We would most enjoy a game of 'pool' with you," Murray stood up.  
  
"Murray, do you even know how to play?" Marshal asked as they walked to the pool table.   
  
"No, but I'm sure that I cannot be worse than Daniel Jackson already is," Murray whispered.  
  
Marshal shared a quick laugh with Murray before the took up their sticks and laid down some money for a bet.  
  
~  
  
Sam looked up from her almost finished steak to where four men were playing pool.  
  
"Hey, those guys over there look A LOT like our Teal'cs and Daniel Jacksons," She pointed in their direction with her knife.  
  
A.R. Jack turned his head to where Sam pointed.  
  
"Yeah, you're right," he said nonchalantly, turning back to his steak. Suddenly, his head jerked up, and his eyes met Sam's, revelation sparkling in them, "THOSE GUYS ARE OUR TEAL'CS AND DANIELS!!!"  
  
A.R. Jack jumped up out of his seat, Sam following suit, and nearly flew to where the men were playing pool.  
  
"Jack?! What are you doing here? And Sam?" Daniel had glanced up carelessly and seen them approaching.  
  
"I think the appropriate question is, what are YOU doing here? That goes for you as well, Murray and . . ." Sam's voice trailed off.  
  
"Marshal."  
  
"Marshal," Sam finished her sentence, hands on her hips.   
  
"Daniel and I were just having some dinner here and decided to play some pool," A.R. Daniel explained.  
  
"The Daniel Jacksons heard us laughing at a joke that I had told. Our table is not far from where we are now," Murray began.  
  
"They came over and questioned of us the same thing you do now. When asked to play a game of 'pool' with them, we replied yes. That is where you find us now, Major Carter," Marshal finished.  
  
"Well. . . it's not like it's a crime for you guys to be here, anyway," Sam apologized, "I guess I was just startled to see you here."  
  
"I agree with Sam," A.R. Jack said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "It's rare that you ever get off the base. . . Marshal."  
  
Marshal nodded. "I believe those folks over there are staring at us."  
  
Everyone turned to look.  
  
Dr. Carter and Jack, who had been staring at the group, stood up and walked over.  
  
"Hey! Surprised to see all of you here," Jack said. He looked toward to Sam, who was quite close to A.R. Jack. Sam had the look of a killer on her face.  
  
"Doctor," Sam said, acknowledging her with a head nod.  
  
"Major," Dr. Carter responded, also nodding.  
  
"It's getting late, Sam," A.R. Jack grabbed her arm and steered her to the door, "I actually want to get some sleep before going home tomorrow."  
  
"That's a great idea! We'll all go home, NOW!" Jack maneuvered a very peeved Dr. Carter to the door also.  
  
The Daniels, Murray and Marshal followed suit, each getting into their cars, finding out that the whole group had parked next to each other.   
  
Sam stopped Jack before he got in his truck.  
  
"I want to thank you, sir."  
  
"What for, Carter?"  
  
"For agreeing to have Dr. Carter in your home. I'm afraid that if she had come home with me, the other Jack would've been mad at me tomorrow because I killed her," Sam shrugged sheepishly and turned to her car.   
  
"Hey, Carter. . ."  
  
"Yes. . ?" Sam faced Jack hopefully.  
  
"Drive carefully, okay?" He touched her hand briefly, then closed his door.  
  
He drove off into the night.  
  
"Good night, Jack. . ." Sam whispered in the dying quiet.  
  
A.R. Jack leaned his head out of the car window.  
  
"You coming, Sam?"  
  
She jumped, startled by the sound of his voice.  
  
"Yeah. . ." jumping in her car, and turning the key, she gave A.R. Jack a smile of reassurance.   
  
He smiled back, faintly touching her cheek with his fingertips. He immediately jerked his hand back if he had been scarred, and the ride back to Sam's house continued in silence.  
  
It's going to be a long night, Sam thought.  
  
*~*~*  
  
This chapter turned out WAY different from what I expected, and also WAY longer. My muse just had a rampage, I guess. I'm pretty proud of myself, though. My longest chapter EVER!!! REVIEW!!!! Thanks! 


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